NHLGamers,
Starting today, Thursday, April 15th we are starting the qualifiers ahead of the ECL 12 season to determine recipients of the final open spots in each of the divisions. This article gathers all the base information required to carry out the qualifiers.
Roster Lock
As we've already received some questions about player movement during and around the ECL Qualifiers, we need to remind parties concerned about the soft roster lock rule applied to all teams and players participating in ECL Qualifiers (including Wildcard battle participants):
LainaaTo prevent teams from taking advantage of the staggered divisional start time that we have instituted for ECL, specifically recruiting players to bolster your chances in the qualifier that have no intention of remaining in the team beyond that, we have decided to enforce a soft roster lock post qualifier play. What this means in practice is that if a former Elite player wants to participate in a qualifier for a Pro or Lite team, then they will be locked into that division for four weeks (starting from the first game played in Elite that season). If a former Pro player wishes to do the same, then they will be locked into the division for 2 weeks (starting from the first game played in Pro that season).
Upon further reflection we have realised that this piece of information may not have received enough attention as it was embedded in the main body of text from the article detailing the overhaul of our promotion system.
As such, we would like to take this opportunity to outline the rationale behind this rule, as well as better illustrate this for the players that it may impact in the current ongoing qualifiers.
The rationale behind this rule was to heavily discourage players from ‘helping out’ other teams in the qualifiers, just to change team afterwards. That said, we originally quoted weeks as the duration of the ‘locks’ and realise that this can be a little confusing at a glance.
Therefore, for Elite players, if they wish to join a team and help them out in the qualifiers, then they are locked to playing within that division (where the qualifying team ends up) for the entirety of the season. As for Pro players, if they wish to do the same, and play for a team in Lite, then they will have to stay within the Lite division until the 27th May, at which point they will be allowed to transfer into Pro or Elite teams.
For next season this rule will be reviewed. As in previous seasons, players are only allowed one transfer per ECL. This includes the Qualifiers.
Note regarding feedback on structure and qualifiers
We hear and appreciate the passionate feedback received about the qualifying and promotion process. As stated, the promotions have occurred as defined in our first communications and we intend to keep it as such for ECL 12. We will take all feedback into consideration and aim to improve based on that for upcoming seasons.
In the mean time however, the Pro and Lite Qualifiers are underway, and in the event that any more teams decide to not take part, their qualifier spot will remain empty.
Additionally, a Pro team has decided to drop-out from taking part in ECL 12, normally this would mean that we would grant automatic promotion to a team from Lite, however as we were only made aware of this at this point, so far into the qualifier process, we will instead be allocating an extra spot that will be up for grabs through the qualifier structure. This means that the teams ranked #4 in the 2nd stage of the Pro Qualifiers both will be promoted rather than having to play a BO5 series.
Pro Qualifiers
Groups
Schedule (all dates in April)
- Round 1: Thursday 15th, Sunday 18th, Monday 19th, Wednesday 21st
- Round 2: Sunday 25th, Monday 26th, Wednesday 28th
-
BO5 series (where needed): Thursday 29th
LainaaECL Pro Qualifier Teams
- Södertälje SK
- Ducktales BK
- UNI Gaming
- TIKI TALK
- noRex Gaming
- We Kings
- Orebro eHockey
- KAJAK Esports (previously Beast Hockey)
- Nearbird Fighters
- Lekstugan HC
- Golden Nights
- METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK (previously NOVA)
- Patience (previously TeQuila SunRise)
- Hokurit
- Project X (previously Northern Legacy eSports)
- Birka Vikings
- Rogle BK
- Reality Check HC
- Dynastia
- Hawaii Hockey
Lite Qualifiers
Groups
Schedule (all dates in April)
- Group Play: Thursday 15th, Sunday 18th, Monday 19th, Wednesday 21st, Thursday 22nd. All games to be played by Sunday 25th.
-
BO5 series (where needed): Wednesday 28th
LainaaECL Lite Qualifier Teams
- Baby Goons
- Team opted out after groups were formed
- PunaKala
- EHC Biel Bienne eSports (previously The Black Jacks)
- The Last Line
- Finnish Hockey Legends
- StickLifters
- Northern Dust
- Clowns On Ice
- Thunder United
- Bare Knuckles Hockey
- Helter Skelter
- Vasteras IK
- Verket
- Lassen Lampaat
- Odd eSports (previously No Name)
- Burning Goats
- United Front
- TEAM MODO
- Virtuoso
- KohKae Esports
- Lutunilkat
- Sopranos
- Saucer Hockey
- VANHAT KYLJYKSET
- Hyperion (previously KSE Teutons)
- Seinajoki Noms
- Pinaattikone
- Vemppaosasto
- UKnighted HC
- Herforder Ice Dragons
- 5th Line Heroes
- FILA DE LA HC
- SCB eSports
- Dynamo Dragons
- DEG eSports
- Team SIKA (previously EN HUND)
- Barys eSports
- Royal HT
- Almost Retired
- Unwanted
NOTE: The team seeded #2 opted out after the groups were formed. This lead to an even 40 teams in 8 groups, meaning all teams will fit the top 5 and will after the group stage either be promoted directly (TOP 2 per group) to ECL Lite, or play a BO5 series in order to secure a spot. Seed 41, Wildcard team Unwanted is now in Group 2.
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